The Lost Student
by japanesebutterflylizard
Summary: First draft of The Hidden.


1.1 Chapter One  
  
Harry was in trouble. Not with Snape, or with Professor McGonagall. Harry was in trouble with Hermione.  
  
They had been going steady for about two months, much to Ron's dismay. In fact, Ron had become so pi – err – annoyed with Harry for going out with Hermione he was completely ignoring him and hanging around with Seamus and Neville.  
  
Though it seemed Harry couldn't care less. He was constantly with Hermione, usually making everyone else sick. Even Malfoy had run out of insults for the happy couple by now. His usual attack was just vomiting or kissing noises whenever they walked by, hand in hand. But that was when he wasn't fighting off Pansy Parkinson, who had developed a disgusting obsession with the Slytherin.  
  
Anyway, Hermione was furious with Harry because she had found out, from a very good source (a number of good sources, nearly the entire group of fifth year Slytherins) that Harry had been fooling around with Ron's little sister Ginny.  
  
'What got into your head?' Hermione cried. 'I thought we were going to be together…forever…?' Harry and Hermione were in the deserted girl's toilets. Moaning Myrtle was watching them fight with an excited look on her face. Nothing so…fun had happened in her toilet since Harry, Ron and that attractive wizard had climbed into the sink.  
  
Harry sighed. Hermione was into all that Together, Forever stuff. It was really starting to bore him. She had even began saving for their first house.  
  
'It was just a bit of fun,' Harry said, shrugging.  
  
'A bit of fun? A bit of fun?!!' Hermione screeched. 'Don't you have fun with me? I mean, it wouldn't have been so bad if – Ginny, Harry! We're talking about Ginny! Of all people.'  
  
'Don't get so worked up, Hermione,' Harry said coolly. 'It was just a little Christmas fling, for a week. That's all.' Harry put his arms around her and gave her a hug. 'But it's you I want seriously.'  
  
'Oh Harry, how could I ever stay mad at you?' Hermione gushed. She kissed his cheek and hugged him back.  
  
'Come on,' Harry said. 'We'll be late for dinner.' He helped Hermione up and led her out of the girl's toilets. As he shut the door behind them, Harry realised he was inches away from Ron.  
  
'I've heard some nasty rumors,' Ron said with an angry look. 'About you and Ginny.' Harry shrugged and sidestepped him. Ron put his hand on Harry's chest and stopped him.  
  
'Keep away from my sister,' he said icily. He tightened his grip on Harry's robe, gave him a loathing look and walked downstairs to the great hall.  
  
'Nut,' Harry muttered, straightening his robes and taking Hermione's hand.  
  
'Oh, never mind him,' Hermione said as they walked down the stairs. 'He's just jealous.'  
  
'Of Ginny?' Harry said. 'That's -,'  
  
'Of me. Of you,' Hermione said.  
  
'Huh?' Harry said.  
  
'He's jealous of you. He's been after me for months.'  
  
'Dirty rotten…'  
  
'Don't worry Harry. He got more chance of dating Malfoy.' Harry snorted.  
  
'He probably does, actually. But let's not go there.' He looked at Hermione. She had a blank look on her face until Harry's joke registered. She laughed as Harry led her to their seat at the Gryffindor table.  
  
'I hear you had a fling with Ginny,' Fred said as Harry seated himself next to him. Harry suddenly put his arms up to shield his face. Nothing happened. He slowly lowered them.  
  
'What?' Fred said.  
  
'Don't you want to blast me to the Astronomy tower?' Harry said cautiously. Fred bit into a drumstick.  
  
'No. Why?' he said.  
  
'Err, Ron, he -.'  
  
'Oh Ron's only ticked off because he's jealous you're with Hermione, you know.'  
  
'Why doesn't he say so, then?'  
  
'Well, because you're going out with her. He's got too much pride.'  
  
'That's for sure.' Harry shot a Look at Ron, who was a few seats down on the other side of the table. 'Least now I don't have to put up with his complaining.' Fred shrugged and went back to talking to Angelina.  
  
'Harry, who's that?' Hermione tugged at Harry's robes. She pointed to a pretty girl sitting beside Ron. She had deep green eyes and tan skin, which showed she'd been in the sun a lot. She had coppery brown hair that ended a few inches below her ears, but was extremely messy. It wasn't thick like Hermione's, just very messy.  
  
Ron was deep in conversation with her. She picked up a spoon and fiddled with the gravy on her plate as she listened to Ron. Suddenly her hand was at her goblet, then at Seamus's, and then the spoon was empty. She watched out of the corner of her eye as he picked it up to drink. A second later, he had choked and tipped it all over his food. The girl snorted and tried not to laugh.  
  
Suddenly Dumbledore tapped his goblet and stood up.  
  
'Although it is December, we have a new student to Hogwarts,' he began. A ripple of chatter spread through the hall.  
  
'She has been taught magic by her parents for four years, and now she is brought here.' Harry looked over at the girl. She had her face in her hands and was shaking her head.  
  
'Could everyone please welcome Skye Elldir.' The tanned girl stood up for a moment, gave a weak smile and sat down hastily.  
  
'Skye, could you please approach the teacher's table.' Skye winced as she tripped on her robe as she got up and made her way to the end of the great hall. Dumbledore said something to her, and Professor McGonagall brought out a stool and something else.  
  
'The sorting hat!' Harry whispered to Hermione. 'But only first years…'  
  
'But she's just come,' Hermione whispered back. 'She has to be sorted.'  
  
Skye sat down on the chair and the sorting hat was placed on her messy hair. She sat there for at least ten minutes, with the Sorting Hat hmmming and making other noises.  
  
'Very difficult,' it said. 'Sly – no, oh wait. Gryffin – no –very tricky. Slytherin! Gryffindor!' The hat finally yelled. The hall burst into whispers. Even Dumbledore peered over the rim of his spectacles.  
  
'Uh, I'm going to go sit down,' Skye said nervously. She took the Sorting Hat off her head and put it on the seat. It fell off. She went to pick it up, then knocked over the stool as well. She shrugged and went back to her seat beside Ron.  
  
It was ten o'clock and Ron, Harry, Neville and Hermione were in the Gryffindor common room. Ron was playing wizard's chess against Neville, and Harry and Hermione were sitting together in an armchair beside the fire. Suddenly the portrait hole swung open and the brunette girl climbed in. She fell flat on her face.  
  
'Sort of makes Neville graceful, doesn't she?' Hermione whispered to Harry.  
  
'Hello!' she called to everyone. 'Professor McGonagall said I was to stay with you lot.' Harry noticed she was even prettier up close, and had a rich Australian accent.  
  
'Something wrong?' she said.  
  
'I'm Hermione Granger,' Hermione said, getting up off Harry's lap. She held out her hand. Skye shook it.  
  
'Nice name,' she commented.  
  
'I'm Harry Potter,' Harry said. She shook her hand. To Harry's surprise, she didn't seem the least bit knowing about his scar or his fame – which slightly annoyed him.  
  
'Hello Skye,' Ron waved.  
  
'I'm Neville,' Neville said. He went to wave but knocked over his king.  
  
'Check mate,' Ron said. Neville muttered something and left the room with a brief 'goodnight'.  
  
'I – err, don't mean to be nosy,' Hermione said. 'But where have you been?'  
  
'Long story,' Skye said.  
  
'We've got time,' said Harry.  
  
'Night, Skye,' Ron said.  
  
'Night,' Skye answered. Ron trudged up the stairs to the boy's dormitories. 'He's cute, isn't he?' Harry and Hermione exchanged an uncomfortable glance.  
  
'Never mind,' Skye said.  
  
'So, tell us,' Hermione said eagerly.  
  
'All right. For the past fifteen years I've been living in Australia. My parents have been teaching me magic ever since I could say the word. They didn't believe in sending me away to London for schooling at Hogwarts, so we moved out to Breewarana, a place in the middle of Oz. No owl could make it out there alive. That is until some wizards in heavy velvet robes apparated out there and told my parents I had to come here. 'Course, then my parents got really pissed and tried to curse all seven of them. 'Course, it didn't work. So they got sent to Azkaban and I got sent here. That's the short version.'  
  
'Wow,' Harry said. 'I thought I had it bad.' Hermione elbowed Harry hard.  
  
'I mean, sorry about your parents,' he said hastily.  
  
'That's terrible,' Hermione said. 'But you'll find it's OK here. We have Quidditch here, don't we Harry?'  
  
'Yeah,' Harry said, brightening. 'I'm seeker for Gryffindor.' Skye began to laugh.  
  
'Well, I'll have fun watching,' she said. 'The first time I broke my arm was a toy Shooting Star.'  
  
'We get flying lessons from Madam Hooch,' Harry said. 'Unless you're on the team, then Wood teaches you. Oliver Wood. He's decided to stay and help the team.' Skye's eyes suddenly lit up.  
  
'Wood? Oliver Wood? Didn't he obtain a Scottish accent between this year and last?' she asked eagerly.  
  
'Sure did,' Hermione said. 'And it's even better than the way everyone describes it.' It was Harry's turn to elbow Hermione. 'Sorry, Harry.'  
  
'Well, I talk too much. I'm going to bed – err, Hermione?' Skye said, yawning.  
  
'Of course. I'll show you to the girl's dormitories.' Hermione stood up and helped Skye take her bags up the stairs and around the corner.  
  
Harry watched them disappear and stretched. That Australian girl was quite nice, actually, and very pretty. True, she did seem like the perfect match for Neville, but she would probably scare him too much after a while. Why, together they could destroy Hogwarts. Accidentally, of course.  
  
Harry made his way upstairs and changed into his pajamas. As he climbed into bed, he heard Ron's voice.  
  
'You're not getting this one,' he hissed. 'You've had enough of Hermione, Ginny, and remember Cho? Leave some girls for the rest of the world, Harry Potter.' Harry yawned and closed his curtains.  
  
'Go to bed, Ron,' he yawned. 'You'd be lucky to get Eloise Macmillan.'  
  
1.2 Chapter Two  
  
The next morning at breakfast, Harry noticed that Skye wasn't anywhere at the table.  
  
'Hermione! Where's Skye?' Harry said. Hermione jumped. She had been talking to Lavender in a hushed tone. She knocked over her goblet of orange juice. She cleaned it up with a flick of her hand.  
  
'You'll never believe this,' Hermione said. 'You remember how she confused the Sorting Hat?'  
  
'Yeah,' Harry said dully.  
  
'Well, she's decided that she's going to juggle her time between Slytherin and Gryffindor. She's over there,' Hermione said. She pointed to the other side of the hall. Harry's jaw dropped, and Ron, who had been eavesdropping, dropped his fork as he looked.  
  
Skye said sitting on the bench alongside the table cross-legged, talking to Draco Malfoy. She seemed to be enjoying herself, because she was laughing and smiling. Even Malfoy looked strange – oh wait, no, he was just smiling genuinely.  
  
Ron stood up and made his way over to the table. Harry shot a look at Hermione.  
  
'This should be interesting,' he said. Ron tapped Skye on the shoulder. She turned to him.  
  
'What's the matter?' she asked. Ron shot Malfoy a Look.  
  
'Err, could I talk to you for a moment?' Ron asked.  
  
'Sure,' said Skye. 'Be back in a second.'  
  
'You – err, you realize that's Malfoy, don't you?' he asked her.  
  
'Yeah,' Skye said. 'Something wrong?'  
  
'He's a slimy git,' Ron said. 'He gave Hermione horse teeth. He's possibly the worst Slytherin.'  
  
'I know. He's told me about his little adventures with you,' Skye said. 'And that's OK. I'm friends with everyone. I don't have anything to do with him hating Gryffindors.'  
  
'But – but isn't he being, well, as bad to you as us?'  
  
'No. He's actually quite sweet…'  
  
'Malfoy?!? SWEET?!?'  
  
'Come on Ron, you couldn't be jealous?'  
  
'Uh, no.'  
  
'Good, cause you're cuter when you've got red ears.'  
  
On cue, Ron's ears went pink. Skye gave him a hug.  
  
'Now you go fix up your tiff with Harry,' she said. A scowl spread back over Ron's face.  
  
'You're not going to be with Hermione unless she knows you like her, and if you're friends with Harry again. Trust me.'  
  
'But I don't like Harry -,'  
  
'Of course you do. Now go be friends.' She gave him a bit of push towards the Gryffindor table.  
  
She went and sat down with Draco.  
  
'Uh, Harry…' Ron said nervously.  
  
'What?' Harry snapped. Ron went to say something nasty but thought of what Skye said.  
  
'I – err, I'm sorry,' he finally said. Hermione burst into tears.  
  
'Me too,' Harry said. 'Friends?'  
  
'Friends,' Ron said. He sat down.  
  
First lesson for the day was flying with Madam Hooch.  
  
'Alright,' Madam Hooch said when she had lined up the Slytherins and Gryffindors.  
  
'I want you all to mount your broom and fly through those hoops,' she explained. She pointed to a series of sparkling magic hoops scattered miscellaneously around the Quidditch pitch.  
  
There were shouts of 'Up!' throughout the group.  
  
'Erm, excuse me,' Skye called to Madam Hooch as the students took off.  
  
'What's the matter?' Madam Hooch asked.  
  
'I, uh, don't think you should trust me on this,' Skye motioned to her broom.  
  
'Of course I will,' Madam Hooch said. 'You're a fifth year flyer. You can't do any worse than Mr. Longbottom.' Neville was bumping into every second person and missing all the hoops completely.  
  
'Oh yes I can,' Skye said.  
  
'Please, Miss Elldir, now.' Skye sighed and mounted her broom. It spluttered a bit as she took off.  
  
She headed towards one of the hoops. Draco Malfoy flew up alongside her.  
  
'You'll be fine,' he said. He took her hand and slowed down a bit. He guided her through the hoop. Skye smiled.  
  
'Thanks,' she said. She took off towards another hoop, Malfoy trailing right behind her. She went through it perfectly and whooped.  
  
She didn't see the wall until it was three inches from her nose. Draco saw her hit the wall and go plummeting down. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at her broom.  
  
'Flipendo!' he cried. Skye's broom righted itself and landed smoothly. Skye fell off flat onto her face anyway. She sprang up and began dusting herself off.  
  
'I'm OK, I'm OK,' she said. Malfoy landed beside her.  
  
'I think we'll stick with Wizard's Chess,' he laughed. Skye threw her arms around him in a tight hug.  
  
'Thanks,' she said. She gave him a Smile. He smiled back. For a second they shared a knowing moment.  
  
'Well done, Mr. Malfoy,' Madam Hooch said, rushing over. She blew her whistle and the Slytherins and Gryffindors landed. Even Neville managed to dismount on his feet.  
  
'Five points for Slytherin,' she said. The shrill sound of the bell rang through the air, telling them they had had enough time on flying.  
  
'Skye, I'm going to have to explain to you this,' Hermione said, running to catch up with her friend.  
  
'Something about Draco?' Skye guessed.  
  
'He's really terrible. You can't possibly be friends with him.'  
  
'I know how much you hate him, Herm. Please, can you understand I'm friends with him?'  
  
'But – how can you be friends with both of us?'  
  
'I keep the friendships separate. I don't hate either of you, and I wouldn't no matter how much Draco may. Any fights you may have, I have nothing to do with them.'  
  
'It's just strange to see Malfoy being nice…'  
  
'He's not that bad, but I can tell he could be a little bastard.'  
  
'That's for sure.'  
  
The next lesson they had was Transfiguration with Ravenclaw.  
  
'Skye,' Hermione said as she successfully changed her chicken into a duck. Skye pointed her wand at her chicken. A moment later, a very bald bird was scampering around the floor, it's feathers littering the place.  
  
'Yeah?' Skye said, trying to stuff feathers behind the curtains before Professor McGonagall saw.  
  
'I was just wondering, about your parents,' Hermione said. A shadow seemed to briefly cover Skye's face. 'Why didn't they want you to go to Hogwarts?'  
  
'Err, I don't know,' Skye said. 'Just don't like Dumb – erm, Magic Schools.'  
  
'Ok,' Hermione said. She fixed Skye's chicken for her.  
  
At lunch, Skye sat with the Gryffindors.  
  
'Skye! Skye!' Hermione cried. She ran into the hall, tears rolling down her cheeks. 'I need to talk…' She saw Harry walk sluggishly into the hall, his hands in his pockets. Her top lip curled.  
  
'C'mon,' She said. She put an arm around Hermione and led her into an empty classroom.  
  
'It's Harry, isn't it?' Skye asked. Hermione nodded.  
  
'He said…he said that we just weren't meant to be. He said that I should be with Ron,' she sobbed.  
  
'Oh my God, I'm so sorry,' Skye said. 'I made Ron become friends again. I'm so sorry, Herm.' She gave her best friend another hug.  
  
'That's ok,' Hermione said. 'It wasn't you. And, well, I suppose Ron's not that horrible.' She giggled.  
  
'That's it,' Skye said. 'Now go out there and plant yourself next to Ron.' She watched as Hermione went back to the hall. She sat on the desk for another minute before following out to finish her lunch.  
  
1.3 Chapter Three  
  
When classes ended that day, Skye met with Malfoy out on the Quidditch pitch.  
  
'OK, I'm going to teach you how to hold on tight,' he said with a smile. He mounted his broom and motioned for Skye to climb on the back. She gave him a disbelieving look.  
  
'Are you sure?' she said. 'I'll probably kill both of us…'  
  
'Don't worry,' Draco said. 'C'mon.' Skye shrugged, smiling and climbed on behind him. She gripped his waist tight as he kicked off.  
  
The wind whipped Skye's hair back, making it even more tangled. He sped up, skimming the trees above the Forbidden Forest. Skye put her chin on his shoulder and told him to go as high as he could. He lifted the broom up and up until the pressure began on their ears.  
  
'Now down,' Skye whispered. 'Straight down.' Draco smiled and pointed the broom vertical, parallel with the trees. He sped faster and faster. Suddenly he pulled the broom up as their feet skimmed the leaves.  
  
'That was fabulous,' Skye said. 'But if you don't land I'm going to be sick.' Draco turned his Firebolt back towards the castle when it started to splutter.  
  
'Oh crap,' he whispered. It spun out of control and they crashed into the trees.  
  
They fell off the broom and tumbled into the trees. Their robes tore as they fell down the branches of the tree. Finally Draco and Skye fell in a heap on the ground below the tree.  
  
'Oof,' Draco said as half on Skye landed on him.  
  
'Hold on tight,' Skye repeated. 'Me!' She laughed as she helped Draco up.  
  
'Sorry,' he said.  
  
'That's OK,' Skye said. 'It's more fun this way. See, now we get to walk back through the Forbidden Forest, where there are werewolves…and giant spiders…and ick – snakes.'  
  
'Castle's that way,' Draco said. He pointed west.  
  
'Let's go, then,' Skye said. They began walking.  
  
They trudged through the forest, following the path for about an hour.  
  
'OK, now I'll admit it. We're lost,' Skye said. She sat down on a rock.  
  
'The path ends…' Draco said. 'Lumos.' It had begun to get dark. An ear-piercing howl rode the wind.  
  
'Right, now, let's take our chances,' Skye said, jumping up. 'Keep going that way. Better hold hands so we don't lose each other.' Almost hesitantly, Draco took Skye's hand slowly.  
  
'C'mon,' she said. She lit her wand as they pushed their way through the trees. Vines and branches whipped their faces and ripped their robes even more.  
  
It was pitch black except for the dim glow of Draco and Skye's wands when they came to a small clearing. Well, it was clear except for a lone wolf lying in the middle. Skye gasped and rushed to it's side.  
  
'Skye!' Draco began.  
  
'It's got a great big cut in it's side,' she said. The wolf snarled quietly, then stopped and rested it's head on the ground again. Skye stuck her wand in the ground and places her tanned hands on the wound. Draco watched as she closed her eyes and went into sort of a trance. Place blue light gathered in her hands, weaving it's way through the wolf's belly. Draco gasped as the great wound turned to but a shallow scar. Skye moved her hands and blacked out for a second. The wolf sat up and licked Skye's cheek gratefully, before running back into the depths of the trees.  
  
'What did you just do?' Draco said as he helped her up.  
  
'I've never told anyone before,' Skye said. 'I'm not just a witch.'  
  
'So I can see.'  
  
'I can heal. My parents don't know where it came from, no one in our family has ever been able to do it.'  
  
'That's amazing.'  
  
'It's embarrassing.'  
  
'Why?'  
  
They linked their hands again and kept walking towards the castle.  
  
'Well, my parents didn't know what to do about it. They thought they couldn't send me to Hogwarts because of it. They thought I was a sort of freak, even in the magic world. But – but that's not the only reason they didn't want me here.'  
  
'Why…'  
  
'Don't ask, Draco. Please.'  
  
'Sure.'  
  
Suddenly he stopped. 'W – what's that?' he stuttered. A gigantic serpent was halfway around a deer, strangling it. But Skye had already been spotted. The serpent gave its meal one last suffocating squeeze and let go. It began slithering towards Skye. She froze. She couldn't move.  
  
'Skye! The Firebolt!' Draco yelled. 'It's up here! Quick! Climb up -,' Skye wanted to move but she was frozen in place. The serpent suddenly lunged at her. Draco grabbed her hand and yanked her towards the tree. She snapped out of her trance.  
  
'Quick! Up here!' Draco yelled. She scaled the tree very quickly till she got to Draco, who was hovering above the treetops on the Firebolt. Unfortunately, the serpent had also climbed the tree. It snapped at Skye's heels. She scrambled up the fine branches and grabbed the end of Draco's broom. He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. She clung onto his waist as he zoomed off back to the castle.  
  
Draco and Skye stood in their ripped robes outside the Fat Lady. It was eleven-thirty and the school was deadly silent.  
  
'Thanks for the flying lesson,' Skye whispered.  
  
'Any time,' Draco said quietly. He put his hand on her chin and looked into her emerald eyes. He let go and said goodnight. Skye smiled, and took his hand. He turned back around. She tugged gently and pulled him close to her. She hesitated, then kissed his lips gently. She broke the kiss and looked at Draco. He smiled and kissed her back.  
  
They stood there for a few more minutes, holding on to one another, savoring the moment.  
  
'Goodnight,' Skye whispered. She gave the Fat Lady the password and climbed into the portrait hole.  
  
She was grinning to herself when she saw Ron and Hermione together in the common room by themselves. In fact she had to smile when she saw they were doing exactly what she had just been with Draco, except for the fact they seemed a little more vigorous about it. Ron opened his eyes for a second, spotted Skye in her torn, bloodied robes.  
  
'Holy crap! What happened to you?' he gasped.  
  
'I was – Draco -,' Skye yawned.  
  
'Bloody bastard,' Ron said. 'Beating up girls…' Skye laughed.  
  
'He didn't – oh, never mind. I'll tell you when you're not so…' she looked at Hermione, who was very red. 'Busy. Night.' Skye made her way to the girl's dormitories and fell onto her bed. She didn't even bother to change or take off her shoes.  
  
1.4 Chapter Four  
  
'Where's Skye?' Hermione asked the next morning at breakfast.  
  
'Could be over with Malfoy,' Ron said. He looked over to the Slytherin table. Malfoy was sitting with Crabbe and Goyle. Except he looked different. Well, he did have a few scratches on his face. And his hair looked like it was hastily slicked back, with most of it messy.  
  
'I think she's still in bed,' Harry said. 'I remember she came out, asked what time it was and went back to bed. That was before I left.'  
  
'But class starts in three minutes!' Hermione said. 'We'll have to go get her.'  
  
'Us?' Ron said. 'You go.' Hermione clicked her tongue and left the table.  
  
'Fire Whisky,' Hermione told the Fat Lady. The portrait hole swung open and she climbed in. She found Skye beside her bed, in between the end table and the bed posts. She was curled up in a little ball and rocking back and forth.  
  
'Skye?' Hermione said. 'What's wrong?' she rushed over to her friends and knelt beside her.  
  
'I have to go,' Skye murmured. She kept rocking. 'He's back. He's back. I didn't think he was. I hoped I didn't have to…they're not there any more. He took them with him. He's going to be…here.'  
  
'Come on,' Hermione said. 'I'll take you to Madam Pomfrey…'  
  
'I'm not crazy!' Skye practically shouted. Hermione jumped.  
  
'I know that,' she said. 'But you're all shaken up. Come on.' Hermione helped her up and gave her her uniform to change into.  
  
'Tsk tsk tsk,' Madam Pomfrey said as she inspected Skye. 'Too much stress.' She rummaged in a drawer beside the bed and pulled out a small crystal bottle.  
  
'I want you to drink a sip of this every time you feel sick,' Madam Pomfrey said. 'If that doesn't help, come straight back. Here's a note for your teacher.' Hermione thanked her and went back to the Gryffindor common room to get Skye's books.  
  
'Thanks,' Skye said on the steps down the dungeons.  
  
'That's OK,' Hermione said. 'Friends help friends.'  
  
They pushed open the door to Snape's classroom to find a thick purple smoke floating above their head. Snape glided over to them.  
  
'Twenty minutes late,' he snarled. Hermione handed him the note. 'Take your seats.'  
  
Skye and Hermione took the two seats behind Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Draco turned around.  
  
'What happened?' he asked.  
  
'I – err, was sick,' Skye said.  
  
'Hope you're feeling better, then.' He smiled and touched her hand for a moment before turning around again. Skye felt a spasm of pain shoot through her spine then disappear. She dropped her book and gasped in pain.  
  
'What's the matter?' Hermione asked.  
  
'N – nothing. It's ok,' Skye said, regaining control. 'I just got a paper cut.' Hermione gave her a suspecting look then smiled and shrugged.  
  
When potions finished, the two groups headed outside for flying. Hermione went to talk to Ron, leaving Skye to follow everyone else downstairs.  
  
'Hi,' Draco said, coming up beside her. He linked his hand into hers.  
  
'Hello,' Skye said.  
  
'So you're going to ride on my broom again today?' he inquired.  
  
'I don't think I could even keep my balance,' Skye laughed.  
  
'You'd just have to hold on…'  
  
'You know how much I'd love to cuddle up to someone going two hundred miles and hour, sitting on a 5 centimeter wide stick at least a hundred feet in the air. I'm still a little sick.' Draco laughed.  
  
'How about you just watch then?'  
  
'Good idea.'  
  
That night, Skye and Hermione sat on their beds talking till at least twelve o'clock.  
  
'Are you going to explain to me what happened this morning?' Hermione asked, popping a Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Bean into her mouth. 'It's too long…' Skye said. 'And it doesn't matter. I'm…' Suddenly Skye stopped talking. Her eyes glazed over and she began shaking as if under the Cruciatus curse.  
  
Her eyes rolled back and she began uttering a strange language. Her voice turned deep as she spoke in a menacing voice, then her own. Hermione jumped off her bed and backed away into the shadows. Skye stopped shaking. Her eyes went back – but they were different. They weren't the beautiful emeralds, they were like the eyes of a dragon. Her skin turned pale and she stood up with a grace that she didn't normally have. She whispered something and snatched up her wand.  
  
Hermione followed Skye out of the Gryffindor common room and down the winding halls until they came to a damp stone wall.  
  
Skye uttered something and a door appeared, sliding open. She followed Skye in. Skye pointed her wand at the fire and it went out. She walked up the stairs to the boy's dormitories. She padded quietly along the rug to the end of the room, where Draco Malfoy was sleeping. She stood beside his bed with her hands raised. He stirred in his sleep. In a deep voice, Skye said;  
  
'Avada Ke -,' Skye began. Draco's eyes snapped open and he knocked Skye before she could finish the spell. She fell onto the bed. Draco gasped and helped her up. He held her in his arms as he looked at her pale skin and dragon's' eyes. Then her eyes rolled back into her head for a second. Then they were normal again. She glowed faintly for a second then her skin was tanned again.  
  
Hermione stepped out from the shadows, her mouth open.  
  
'What did you do to her?' Malfoy demanded.  
  
'Nothing!' Hermione said. 'She sort of had a seizure and then…' Draco turned back to Skye. She was crying and shaking. He pulled her into a hug and rocked her back and forth. He glared at Hermione.  
  
The light clicked on.  
  
'What's the meaning of this?' Professor Snape snarled, his eyes darting between Hermione and Draco and Skye.  
  
'Come with me,' he barked. 'Now!'  
  
Draco, Hermione and Skye all sat in Snape's office.  
  
'Which one of you can tell me about this pajama party,' he said icily.  
  
'It – it was me,' Skye stuttered. 'I – I erm, had a nightmare. And, ah, I was just going to sleep beside Draco on the floor.' There was an uneasy silence. Snape almost seemed inclined to laugh.  
  
'And you, Miss Granger?' he glared at Hermione.  
  
'I was just following Skye, Professor. I didn't want her to lose Gryffindor any points,' Hermione lied.  
  
'Draco?'  
  
'It's true, sir,' he said. Snape paused. He liked both Draco and Skye, so taking points off was out of the question.  
  
'Back to bed. All of you,' he said. 'But if any of you are caught out of bed at night again…it will be detention.' The three let out a breath.  
  
'Now!' Snape yelled. They jumped and went back to their dormitories.  
  
'What was that?' Hermione said when they got to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
'What was what? Oh yes. Good lie, wasn't it?' Skye said.  
  
'You know exactly what I mean,' Hermione insisted.  
  
'I don't know. Look, I'm tired. I'm going back to bed -.'  
  
'Stop avoiding the subject, Skye!'  
  
'I'm not avoiding anything! You just want to drag things up.'  
  
'Drag what up?'  
  
'Why are you so nosy? Why can't you just understand it's none of your business?' Skye shook her head angrily and went upstairs.  
  
1.5 Chapter Five  
  
The following day was Saturday. Harry woke early to find Ron had already been up. Scratching his head and blinking, Harry made his way down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
Ron and Hermione sat in one of the chairs talking quietly. Snow gathered on the windowsill and the fire roared.  
  
'Aren't you up early?' Harry murmured. He sat down in an armchair.  
  
'We've been talking,' Hermione said.  
  
'About Skye,' Ron finished.  
  
'What for?' Harry asked.  
  
'Well – you know what happened last night?' Hermione asked.  
  
'Err, no,' Harry said. Hermione told him what had happened to Skye.  
  
'And you were going somewhere with this?' Harry asked.  
  
'We need to find out what she's hiding,' Ron said.  
  
'I've got it figured out,' Harry yawned. 'Voldemort's possessing her to try and kill everybody.' Ron and Hermione's jaws dropped.  
  
'That's brilliant, Harry,' Ron said.  
  
'Ooh, well done! Now we just need to find out why, and -,' Hermione began.  
  
'Parents are dark wizards,' Harry cut her off. 'Voldemort's servants and -,'  
  
'OK, Harry, stop! You're ruining our subtle smartness,' Hermione told him. Harry shrugged and yawned. 


End file.
